Sermon on the Mount Iii & Iv

We will please turn to Matthew chapter 6. We'll begin with the first verse. Take heed not to do your righteousness before men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have received, you have no reward with your father who is in the heavens.

Take heed not to do your righteousness before men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have received, you have no reward with your father who is in the heavens. Therefore, when you do your righteousness, do not boast in front of men, like those who pretend to be good, in the hall and on the street.

On purpose you want to call people's glory, you want to get people's glory. I really tell you, they have already received their reward. But thou, when thou dost arms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does.

So that thine arms may be in secret, and thy father who sees in secret will render it to thee. And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so that they shall appear to men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy father who is in secret, and thy father who sees in secret will render it to thee. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy father who is in secret, and thy father who sees in secret will render it to thee. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as those who are of the nations, for they think that they shall be heard through their much speaking.

Be not ye therefore like them, for your father knows of what things ye have need, before ye beg anything of him. 你们不可效法他们,因为你们没有祈求以前,你们所需用的,你们的父早已知道了。 Thus therefore pray ye, Our Father, who art in the heavens, let thy name be sanctified. 所以你们祷告要这么说,我们在天上的父,愿人都尊你的名为圣。 Let thy kingdom come, let thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon the earth.

愿你的国降临,愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。 Give us today our needed bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 我们日用的饮食今日赐给我们,免我们的债,如同我们免了人的债。 And lead us not into temptation, but save us from evil. 不叫我们进入试探,救我们脱离凶恶。 For if ye forgive men their offenses, your Heavenly Father also will forgive you yours.

因为你们饶恕人的过犯,你们的天父也必饶恕你们的过犯。 But if ye do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses. 你们不饶恕人的过犯,你们的天父也必不饶恕你们的过犯。 第十九节 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust spoils, and where thieves dig through and steal. 不要为自己积攒财宝在地上,地上有虫子咬能锈坏,也有贼挖窟窿来偷。 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoils, and where thieves do not dig through nor steal.

For where thy treasure is, there will be also thy heart. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body will be light.

眼睛就是身上的灯,你的眼睛若单纯,全身就光明。 But if thine eye be wicked, thy whole body will be dark. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great the darkness! 你的眼睛若昏花,全身就黑暗。 你里头的光若黑暗了,那黑暗是何等的大呢? No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one or will love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. 一个人不能侍奉两个主,不是物这个爱那个,就是众这个亲那个。你们不能又侍奉神又侍奉马门。 You cannot serve God and mammon.

你们不能侍奉神又侍奉马门。 For this cause I say to you, do not be careful about your life, what is your eat and what is your drink, nor for your body what is your put on. Is not the life more than food and the body than raiment? 所以我告诉你们,不要为生命忧虑,吃什么喝什么,为身体忧虑穿什么。 生命不胜于饮食吗?身体不胜于衣裳吗? 第三十三节 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 你们要先求祂的国和祂的义,这些东西都要加给你们了。 Be not careful therefore for the morrow, for the morrow shall be careful about itself.

Sufficient to the day is its own evil. 所以不要为明天担忧,因为明天自有明天的忧虑,一天的难处一天当就够了。 May we have a further word of prayer. 请我们再有一点祷告。 Dear Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee.

我们的天父,我们感谢祢。 That Thou dost gather us together this morning unto Thy beloved Son. 今天早上祢把我们召聚在祢自己爱子的面前。 We believe that Thou art with us. 我们相信祢是与我们同在的。 And Thou alone can satisfy our hearts.

只有祢自己能满足我们的心。 We bow ourselves before Thee. 我们在祢的面前下拜。 And look to Thee to speak to us. 仰望祢向我们说话。 We pray that Thou will open our hearts to Thee.

我们祷告主阿弥开我们的心向着祢。 And open Thy word to us. 把祢的话也向我们解开。 That Thy word may fall unto good ground. 好让祢的话能落在好土里。 That will bear fruit patiently a hundredfold unto Your glory.

那能够结一百倍的果子为祢自己。 Lord, we confess that we are far from what Thou want us to be. 主阿,我们承认我们离祢对我们的要求太远。 And yet, we want to tell Thee that we are willing. 主阿,但是我们要告诉祢,主阿,我们愿意。 May Thy Holy Spirit work within us.

主阿,愿意祢的圣灵在我们里头工作。 And bring us to the place where Thou art. 带我们到一个地方是祢自己的地方。 May Thy will be done in us as it is in heaven. 主阿,愿意祢的旨意在我们里头得到成就像在天上一样。 And we will give Thee all the glory.

主阿,所有的荣耀都归给祢。 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 奉我们主耶稣基督的名祷告。 Amen. We do thank the Lord for gathering us together this morning.

我们感谢我们的主今天早上召聚我们在一起。 We have been sharing together on the so-called Sermon on the Mount. 我们一同教通所谓的山上的教训。 We know that the Sermon on the Mount is spoken by our Lord to His own disciples. 我们知道山上的教训是我们的主耶稣向祂的门徒们所说的。 To those who have not only believed in Him, 就是这些人他们不只是信了祂, but have also answered His call, 而且对祂的呼召有响应, and have given themselves to the Lord, 他们把自己献给了主, allow the Lord to teach them, 让主能够教导他们, to transform them, 能改变他们, and to conform them to His own image.

能改变他们成为他自己的形象。 So we say the Sermon on the Mount 所以我们说山上的教训 is not giving us a new law 不是给我们一个新的律法 for us to keep. 让我们遵守。 The Sermon on the Mount is of grace. 山上的教训是来自恩典。 Our Lord has first given His life to us.

我们的主一开始把祂自己的生命给了我们。 And then He begins to tell us what that life is. 然后祂就告诉我们那个生命是什么。 The Sermon on the Mount actually is a description of the life of our Lord Jesus. 山上的教训实在是 对我们主耶稣的生命的一个描述。 He is the heavenly man.

祂是那一位属天的人。 Who has come upon this earth. 来到世上。 And He lives a heavenly life upon the earth. 祂在世上过一个天上的生活。 He comes to set up His kingdom upon this earth.

祂来要把祂的天国要建立在这世界上。 He is drawing a people unto Himself. 祂吸引万人归向祂的自己。 And to transform them as He is. 祂要把他们改变成像祂一样。 And these will be His kingdom.

这些,这就是祂的王国。 And these were the people of the kingdom of the heavens. 这些人就是天国的子民。 They are the sons of the kingdom of the heavens. 他们是天国的种子。 So we do praise and thank the Lord.

因此我们赞美,我们感谢我们的主。 He is not trying to impose upon us a heavy burden. 祂不是要把一个重担加在我们的井子上。 As if He is setting up a very high standard. 好像说,祂在这里好像给我们一个极高的标准。 And then He said, try to arrive at it.

然后祂说,你自己想办法来达到这个标准。 Instead of that, 祂不是这样。 You find He gives us His own life. 祂把祂自己的生命给了我们。 And He is telling us how glorious, how powerful is that life. 祂告诉我们,这个生命是何等的荣耀,何等的有利。 If we only allow His life to live out through us.

若是我们让祂的生命从我们里头能活出来。 That will be the way that we will live. 那就是我们该活的一个方式。 So it is a matter of grace. 所以这是一个恩典的问题。 It is a matter of life.

这是一个生命的问题。 It is a matter of the growing of life. 这是一个生命成长的问题。 And that is what the Sermon on the Mount is all about. 这就是山上教训所要告诉我们的。 The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes.

山上的教训开始是说到所谓的八福。 在那里我们看到重点不是在我们怎么做, 重点是我们如何是。 因为我们主说,那邻里贫穷的人他是有福了。 因为天国是他们的。 所以这里我们看见山上教训一开始的时候, 重点是是而不是做。 我们主耶稣自己就是这个八福在人身上的一个代表。 因为这就是我们主当他在世上的时候,他就是这个样子。 他是一个邻里贫穷的人。 他与神同等。 但是他不以同等为抢夺。 他反而道空了自己。 取了奴仆的形象。 也成为人的样式。 他存心向天父顺服。 以至于死,而且他死在十字架上。 这就是邻里贫穷的意思。 自然而然,我们都是我们魂里面很丰富的。 我们以为我们里头什么都有。 我们以为我们可以做伟大的事情。 我们对我们自己很骄傲。 谦卑这件事情是在我们以外的。 主耶稣的生命,我们需要有主耶稣的生命在我们里面。 因为他的生命是一个谦卑的生命。 那个生命是把自己道空的。 因此祂呼召我们像祂一样。 因为圣灵在我们里头的工作。 因为十架在我们生活上的工作。 我们慢慢地就把我们自己就被道空了。 当我们被道空的时候, 我们就被主耶稣自己的生命所充满。 这是在那个时候我们是真正的蒙福了。 换句话说,我们在主里就真正有喜乐。 因此这八福实在是描写我们主耶稣的生命。 主耶稣告诉祂的门徒们, 这是我要你们所向的。 这就是你们在世上怎么过日子。 你们要承受天上的产业。 同时我们也在八福里面看到, 主耶稣告诉我们, 我们的义若是不能够越过文士和法利塞人的义,我们断不能进天国。 文士和法利塞人的义是什么呢? 那是根据律法的义。 那是根据律法秩序的义。 因为文士和法利塞人, 他们想要遵守律法的每一个字。 做这样事的时候, 他们反而违反了律法的经义。 他们的义是人所做出来的。 他们的义只是外面的一个表现。 在他们的里头没有实际。 他可能是像死了一样那么对。 但是你看,那完全是根据律法。 反而让他们里头有极大的骄傲。 因此他们为自己的义所夸口。 他们是假冒为善, 是肤浅的。 但是他们对别人只有审判。 他们自己的所谓的义, 让他们自己非常骄傲。 但是在神的眼中, 圣经告诉我们, 我们的义只是像一个破烂的衣服。 他们不能遮盖我们的赤裸。 神完全拒绝了这样的义。 因此我们既然是主耶稣的门徒, 我们的义必须胜过文士和法利塞人的义。 我们的义是什么呢? 我们这个超越的义是什么呢? 那是从我们里头出来的。 这是一个生命的问题。 靠着神的恩典, 我们里头的生命开始让人看见。 这是灵,这是生命。 是比字句更高的。 是在字句所要求的更高的以外。 它一直走到心里,走到中心。 是从我们里头的生命涌流出来的。 因此我们主给我们一个不一样的例子。 用这五个例子, 他让我们看见,就是说, 胜过文士法利塞人的义, 这些义是什么样子。 这就是我们过去两天中间, 我们所说过的。 今天这个时候呢, 我们愿意继续交通 马太福音第六章。 当我们读这一章的时候, 你会发现这一章可以很清楚地分成两部分。 第六章, 这个第一节到十八节, 就说到, 我们做事情要在暗中做。 换句话说, 这告诉我们一个隐藏的生活。 作为天国的子民, 我们有一个隐藏的生活。 一个世界看不到的生活。 而这种生活, 是世界看不到的源头。 第二部分, 从第十九节到第三十四节。 That this kingdom life is a life of faith. 这里告诉我们,这个天国的生活是一个信心的生活。 Now, brothers and sisters, we who are the sons of the kingdom of the heaven, we have a hidden life. 我们里头有一个隐藏的生活。 Because it is heaven living upon the earth.

So there is a heavenly part that is not seen as it were. It is to be seen by God alone. 只是给神看见。 Now, often times we find that we Christians 我们常常发觉我们做基督徒的, tend to live purely a holy and outward living.

好像经常有这个倾向,好像过一个在外面的生活。 It is as if there is not that inward or hidden life within us. It is as if we are just living before man, instead of living before God. But as God's people, 但是我们是神的百姓。 we need to remember that we have a hidden life.

You remember in Psalm 91, 你记得在诗篇第九十一篇第一节, It is said that He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, 祂说住在至高者的隐秘处, abides under the shadow of the Almighty. 比住在全能者的阴相。 In other words, 换句话说, we need to live in the secret place of the Most High. Now if we live in the secret place of the Most High, then we will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

那我们就能够住在全能者的阴相。 This is the secret of our strength in this world. 这是我们在这个世界上,我们的能力的秘密。 There is one thing that we really need to seek. 有一件事我们需要寻求的。 We need to seek to live in the secret place of God.

我们需要寻求住在神的隐秘处。 Daily we should have that abiding communion with the Father who is in Heaven. 每一天我们需要有一个暗中的交通, 暗中的住在我们天父的里面。 The more we develop that secret life with the Lord, 我们若是在主面前能够有更多的那个隐秘处的生活。 the more powerful we are able to live on this earth. 我们在世上就有更多的力量生活。 And it gives us the only strength that we can live according to the will of God.

这是我们唯一能力的泉源,能够按照神的旨意活。 We remember when our Lord Jesus came to this world. 我们记得当我们主耶稣来到世上。 For thirty years He lived a hidden life. 他过一个隐秘的生活过了三十年。 We do not know much about that thirty years.

我们不大知道那三十年的生活。 But we know that during those thirty hidden years, 但是我们知道在这三十年暗中的生活里, what communion He had with His Father, and how much He developed His life before God as a man. And with these thirty hidden years, 在这三十年暗中的生活里, when He came forth to the public, 当完了,当他来到大家的面前, you find there is such power, such strength there. 你就看见有这么大的能力在那里。 So brothers and sisters, we who are the sons of the kingdom of the heavens, 我们这些天国的众子, we need to develop a hidden life with God.

我们需要里头有一个发展一个在神面前的暗中的生活。 We need to seek His face. 我们需要求祂的面。 And to live a life that is face to face with God. 我们要过一个日子是与神面对面。 And with that kind of hidden life, that will give us the power to live upon this earth.

我们才会有能力在世上过日子。 So our Lord Jesus, you find in Matthew chapter 6, He begins with an exhortation. 他在这里开始有一个鼓励。 He says, take heed not to do your righteousness before men, to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.

你们要小心不可将善事行在人面前,故意叫他们看见。 若是这样就不能得你们天父的赏赐了。 Now in chapter 5 of the book of Matthew, the Lord said, your righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the scribes and of the Pharisees. 主耶稣告诉我们说,你们的义必须胜过文士和法利赛人的义。 And here He is still talking about righteousness. 这里他仍旧说到义的问题。 But with this righteousness, you'll find He deals with the motive.

但是在这里他谈到义的问题,他是说到我们的动机在哪里。 That the motive of our being right is for God and not for man. 我们义的动机是为神而不是为人。 And then He uses three illustrations. 他给我们三个例子。 First, it is given arms.

第一个就是施舍的例子。 That is our relationship with the world. 这是我们与世界与世人的关系。 And the second is prayer. 第二个例子是祷告。 That is our relationship with God Himself.

这是我们与神的关系。 And the third is fasting. 第三个是说到进食。 It is in relation to ourselves. 是与我们自己的关系。 In other words, you see the three dimensions of life.

换句话说,你看到生活生命的三个方面。 We who live on this earth. 我们在世上过日子。 There are three dimensions. 有三个方向。 We are related to man.

我们是与人有关系。 We are related to God. 我们与神有关系。 And we are related to ourselves. 与我们自己有关系。 Now, how are we to live on this earth? 我们在世上如何过日子? How are we related to the world? 我们与世界是怎么样发生关系? The law says giving alms.

我们祖说施舍。 You know, giving alms is considered righteousness. 施舍这件事情一般说起来是一个义的诗。 Why? Because our God is the great giver. 我们祖认为是对的事情。 因为我们祖是一个伟大的施舍的人。 You know, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

神爱世人,把祂自己唯一的儿子给了他们。 And when God gave His Son to us, 当神把祂的儿子给我们, He gives everything to us. 祂什么都给了我们。 He who has given His own Son to us, 那给了祂自己的儿子的人, Will He not give us all things? 难道祂不把一切都给我们吗? So our God is a great giver. 因此我们的神是一个给的神。 That is what God is.

那就是我们的祖,就是这样的。 And as God's people, 我们是神的儿女。 God wants us to have that spirit of giving. 神要我们有一个给的灵。 You know naturally, we are all receivers. 自然地说,我们都是得的人。 We want to receive, receive and receive.

我们要得,要得,要得。 And we are very stingy in giving. 当我们给的时候,我们很吝啬。 Why? Because we are so self-centered. 为什么呢?因为我们都是以自己为中心。 But as God's own people, 但是我们是神的儿女。 He wants us to have that spirit of giving.

祂要我们有一个给的灵。 But as we give, now, what is the motive behind our giving? 里头的动机是什么呢? As a matter of fact, all that we can give is what He has given to us. 我们所有能给的,都是祂已经先给我们的。 And He wants us to give in such a way. 祂要我们这样地给。 That we do it in secret.

是暗中地给。 That we do it not for the sake to be seen by man. 我们给,不是要人看见我们给。 If we are helping people. 若是我们帮忙别人。 If we are giving to people.

若是我们给别人有所施舍。 In the world you'll find, when they give, they want people to know about it. They will proclaim it. They will let everybody knows about it.

What a generous giver that person is. They want to have some kind of memory for them. 他们要一个纪念碑留在那里。 And the Lord said, now if you give in such a way, you have already your reward.

And your reward is earthly. You will not receive reward in heaven. So when God's people give, 因此当神的儿女给的时候, we need to do it in secret.

Do not let your right hand, left hand knows what your right hand is doing. Now is it possible? Is it possible for you to give with your right hand and your left hand does not know it? 你怎么可能呢?你右手给,左手怎么不知道呢? Now of course, literally it is impossible. 当然你就字句上讲这是不可能的。 But it is possible.

但是这真是可能的。 It means that you do not dwell upon what you give. 意思就是说,你不要老是想着你给人这件事。 Do not be so self-conscious of what good you have done. 不要为你所做的好事想到你自己。 Because you do it for the Lord.

因为你是为神所做的。 And you do it unto the Lord. 你是在神面前给神做的。 And you do it by the grace of God. 你是因为这样做,是因为有神的恩典在你。 There is nothing you can boast about.

没有什么事情可以自夸的。 And you do not expect to be known by man. 你也不要盼望让人知道。 And to be broadcasted. 不要盼望这些事情大家都晓得。 Because you do it in secret.

因为你是在暗中做的。 And your Heavenly Father, who is in secret, He sees it. 你在天上的父亲,他是在暗中的,他看见了。 And He will reward you from above. 他会从天上报答你。 So brothers and sisters, our righteousness is not for man to see.

我们的义不是要让人看见。 We are not expecting people to praise us. 我们不期望人说我们的好话。 Our righteousness is for God to see. 我们的义是让神看见。 And our Father, who is in Heaven, He will reward us.

我们在天上的父,他会赏识我们。 Now that is in relation to man. 这个是我们和人,是人的关系。 Then our Lord Jesus mentioned prayer. 然后我们的主提到祷告。 You know, prayer is also considered a righteousness.

你知道,祷告也是义。 Now, if all that we pray for 若是我们祷告的目的 is asking the Lord to give us this and give us that. 只是要祖给我们这个,给我们那个。 Do you think there is any righteousness in it? 你觉得这中间会有义在吗? If our prayer is like this, we are praying like the nations, the Gentiles. 若是我们只是这样祷告的话, 我们是跟外邦人,跟世人没有什么两样。 But we who are the children of God, 但是我们是神的子民。 we have a Heavenly Father 我们有一个天父 who loves us and who cares for us.

他爱我们,他想到我们。 And he knows what we need. 他知道我们一切的需要。 Before we ask, he already knows what we need. 在我们问他要求以前,他都知道了。 And he is already ready to give.

他已经准备好要给我们。 Because he loves us so much. 因为他这样的爱我们。 So, how should we pray? 那我们应该怎么祷告呢? The Pharisees and the scribes, 防晒人和文士, they love to pray in the synagogues. 他们喜欢在会堂里祷告。 In their private, they do not pray.

在暗中他们不祷告。 But they like to pray in public only. 他们喜欢在众人面前祷告, 只在众人面前祷告。 And when they walk on the street, 在他们街上走路的时候, when they come to the corner of the street, 来到十字路口的时候, because the corner is where can be seen by more people, 十字路口大家都看得见。 And then they started to pray a long prayer. 他们就在那里大声地祷告, 长长地祷告。 The Lord said they have their reward.

主说他们已经有他们的赏识。 Their prayer does not reach heaven. 那个祷告没有达到天上。 You remember our Lord tells us a parable. 你知道我们的主曾经给我们说了一个比喻。 He said two men enter into the temple to pray.

两个人到殿中祷告。 One is a Pharisee. 一个是法利塞人。 And he goes into the temple. 他到殿中。 Goes to the front.

到了殿中的前面。 And then he lifted his eyes. 他的眼睛朝着天上。 And he said to God, I thank you. 他说神啊,我感谢你。 Because I fasted twice a week.

因为我每一周进食两次。 I give one-tenth of my income. 我收入的十分之一我都奉献。 And then he looked at the publican that was behind him. 他就看那些收税的人。 And he said I'm not like that person.

他说我跟他们不一样。 A sinful man. 他们是罪人。 That's the way he prayed. 那是他如何祷告。 And then the publican.

那这个税吏来了。 He enter into the temple. 他来到殿中。 Way at the back. 一直在人的后面。 He dare not lift up his eyes.

他不敢把他的头向着天。 He beat his breast. 他捶他的胸。 And said oh God have mercy upon us enough. 他说神啊,求你对我这个罪人有怜悯。 And the Lord Jesus said.

主耶稣说。 When they go home. 当他们回家的时候。 The publican is more righteous. 那一个税吏反而是更公义的。 Because the Pharisee is not praying.

因为那个法利赛人他没有祷告。 The Pharisees is reporting. 法利赛人只是在那里做报告。 And brothers and sisters. 弟兄姊妹们。 How easy for us to be like that.

我们很容易就落到这样的光景。 Often times our prayer is like reporting to God how good we are. 经常我们祷告的时候我们就向神报告说我们是多么的好。 Instead of being grateful to God as if God needs to be grateful to us. 那就是说我们不是说我们谢谢神。 我们的意思好像是神应该谢谢我。 And the Pharisees pray long prayers.

法利赛人他就很长很长的祷告。 And yet in their life. 但是在他们的生命里,生活里。 In their hidden life. 在他们隐藏的生活里。 How terrible things they did.

那他们做了多少的恶事。 Thank God. 在感谢神。 We have a father who loves us. 我们有一位神他爱我们。 We have a father who cares for us.

我们有一位神他顾念我们。 And before even we ask he knows what we need. 在我们要求之前他就已经知道我们需要。 So the Lord said when you pray. 因此主说当你祷告的时候。 You enter into your closet.

你就到你的内室里头。 And you shut the door. 把门关上。 And you pray to your father who is in heaven. 祷告在那暗中的父。 And your father who is in secret he hears you.

那暗中的父他会听见你。 Our prayer is for God to hear. 我们的祷告是给神听的。 Our prayer is to express our dependency upon him. 我们的祷告是我们向神说。 神啊我依靠你。 Our prayer is to show that without him we can do nothing.

我们的祷告是要让他看见不是他我们什么都不能做。 Our prayer is a communion with our heavenly father. 我们的祷告是与我们天上的父交通。 And our prayer is that his will may be done in heaven. 我们的祷告是让他的旨意在我们身上能够通行。 像在天上通行一样。 So here again you find our Lord Jesus teach us how to pray.

因此这里我们看见我们的主耶稣教我们怎么样祷告。 This is what we call the Lord's Prayer. 这就是所谓的主祷文。 And actually it is the prayer that the Lord teach his church to pray. 可是的确地说这个是我们主教导他的教会如何祷告。 Of course our Lord Jesus does pray that way.

当然我们主耶稣他自己也是这样祷告。 And he teaches us how to pray. 但是他教我们怎么样祷告。 Our father who are in heaven. 我们的天上的父。 Prayer is based on relationship.

祷告是根据关系。 As we pray. 当我们祷告的时候。 We are as children of God. 我们是神的儿女。 And we are praying to our father who is in heaven.

我们是向在天上我们的父亲祷告。 Because there is a relationship there. 因为这中间有个关系。 So there is a confidence there. 因此这里头有一个把握。 There is a prayer with faith.

这是一个有信心有把握的祷告。 It is not just babbling. 不只是在这里说说而已。 We are praying with faith within us. 我们是用我们里头的信心在这里祷告。 Because we know our father.

因为我们知道我们的父亲。 Even if we pray wrongly. 就算我们祷告错了。 He will answer rightly. 他也会对的来祷告我们。 会对的来回应我们。 弟兄姊妹。 When we pray.

当我们祷告的时候。 Do not just pray for ourselves. 不要光为我们自己祷告。 Because prayer is our righteousness. 因为祷告是我们的义。 We are doing something right before God.

我们在神面前做一件对的事情。 So our Lord Jesus said when you pray. 因此我们主耶稣说当你祷告的时候。 First of all you pray. Hallowed be thy name.

第一你要说愿你的名被尊为圣。 Thy kingdom come. 你的国度降临。 And thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 你的旨意在地上冲行像在天上一样。 In other words.

换句话说。 In our prayer we should not be self-centered. 当我们祷告的时候。 我们不要为了自我中心而祷告。 We should pray for God's name. For his kingdom.

And for his will. 我们祷告是为了他的名。 他的国度和他的旨意。 His name is honored in heaven. 他的名在天上得到尊崇。 But his name is not hallowed upon the earth.

但是他的名在地上没有被尊崇。 And we should have this burden. 我们里头需要有这么一个负担。 We should take the interest of God as our interest. 我们需要把神的利益作为我们的利益。 And we want to pray that his name will be honored all over the earth.

我们的祷告是说他的名在全地受到尊崇。 Now, of course, if we pray truthfully. 当然,若是我们真正地在那里祷告。 We want his name to be honored in our own life. 我们先要让他的名在我们自己的生活里面得到尊重。 That we will not put shame to our God.

我们不要让我们的神的名受到羞辱。 That the name of God may be honored in us. 好让在我们的里面神的名得到尊崇。 当人看见我们的时候。 当人与我们有接触的时候。 他可以在我们的生活里面看见神。 因此他们就尊重神。 归荣耀给神,让他的国度降临。 换句话说, We let the kingship of Christ be upon us. 就是我们的主他是国王,让这个国王到我们身上。 We put ourselves under his rule.

我们把我们自己放在他的权柄底下。 And let his will be done in us on earth as it is here. 让他的旨意在我们身上冲行,在地上像在天上一样。 Now, this should be the way we pray. 这应该是我们的祷告。 Brothers and sisters, Is this the way that we pray? 是不是我们的祷告呢? Or is our prayer just for ourselves? 或者我们的祷告只是为了我们自己呢? Or for our family? 或者只是为了我的家庭呢? Now, how large is our scope of prayer? 在我们祷告的范围是应该多么广大? What is the priority in our prayer? 在我们祷告中间,我们的优先顺序是什么呢? If we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 若是我们先求神的国和神的义, Then all these things shall be added unto us.

其他的事情都会加给我们。 Then, after we have prayed for God's interest, 当我们为了神的利益祷告以后, Then we can pray for our needs. 然后我们可以为我们的需要祷告。 Give us this day our daily bread. 今天给我们我们每天需要的食物。 Now, brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹, It shows that we depend upon him for our daily bread.

这就是说,我们为我们每天日用的需要, 我们是仰靠他。 Not for the bread for tomorrow. 并不是为了明天的食物。 But for our daily bread. 而是为了我们今天的食物。 Once I read a book on the sermons of Zinzendorf.

有一次我读了一本关于Zinzendorf他的讲道。 And when he preached on the Lord's Prayer, 当他讲道,提到这个主祷文的时候, He said, give us this day our daily bread. 他说,今天给我们日用的饮食。 He feels that this daily bread is our spiritual bread. 他觉得这个日用的饮食呢,是属灵的饮食。 It is not a natural bread, but a supernatural bread.

不是一个自然的饮食,而是一个超自然的饮食。 To nourish our spirit. 好让我们的灵得到喂养。 And surely we need it. 当然这是对的,我们是需要的。 Forgive us our debts as we forgive others.

赦免我们的债,好像我们免了别人的债。 This is the food for our soul. 这个是我们魂里的粮食。 You know, for our physical body, we need bread. 我们知道我们肉身的身体,我们需要食物。 For the welfare of our soul, we need to have forgiveness.

为了我们的魂的好处,我们需要赦免别人。 So we ask the Lord to forgive our debts. 因此我们求神赦免我们的债。 Forgive our sins. 赦免我们的罪。 But on condition.

但是有个条件。 As we forgive others. 像我们赦免别人一样。 Dear brothers and sisters, We find among God's people today, 我们看今天神的百姓, There is a condition. 有一个光景。 And that is, among many of God's people, They have an unforgiving spirit.

就是在我们神的百姓当中, 有许多人不能赦免别人。 When our brothers and sisters sin against us. 当弟兄姊妹们对我们有冒犯的时候,得罪了我们的时候。 Or when they owe debts to us. 或者当他们欠我们债的时候。 That is to say, That they do something which is as debts.

就是他们好像做了一些事情,好像欠我们债一样。 We will not forgive. 我们不愿意赦免。 And because we have unforgiving spirit. 因为我们这一个不赦免的灵。 Remember, God will also not forgive us.

神也不赦免我们。 You know, before we believe in the Lord Jesus. 当我们信主耶稣以前。 When we repent and ask the Lord to forgive our sins. 当我们在他面前悔改, 求主赦免我们的债。 We find that he forgave everything.

我们发觉他赦免一切的罪。 His blood cleanses us from all our sins. 他的血赦免,他的血洁净我们一切的罪。 But remember, there is a difference. 但是我们记得这里有一个不同。 After you have become a child of God.

当你做了神儿女以后。 If you want God to forgive your sins and your debts. 若是你要神赦免你的罪赦免你的债。 There is a condition. God wants you to forgive others.

神要你赦免别人。 If you do not forgive others their debts or their sins. 你若是不赦免别人的罪不赦免别人的债。 God will not forgive your debts or your sins. 神也不赦免你的罪也不赦免你的债。 Now this is a difference.

这里所以有一个不同。 And this is something that we need to remember. 这是我们需要记得的。 So from our hearts we have to learn to forgive. 所以从我们的心里我们要学到能赦免。 We who have been forgiven so much.

我们被原谅被赦免了那么多。 How can we hold back or hold on to what our brothers and sisters owe us. 我们怎么能够因为弟兄姊妹欠我们一点我们就抓着不放呢。 You remember the story of Peter. 你记得彼得的故事。 One day he came to the Lord and said, 有一天他来到主面前说, If my brother sins against me seven times 说是我的弟兄得罪我七次, And I forgive him, 我原谅了他。 Do you think that is enough? 你觉得这个够不够? And the Lord said, 主说, I do not say seven times.

我不说七次。 I say seven times seventy. 我说七十乘七次。 Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹, This is something that we need to learn. 这是我们需要学到的。 And if we forgive others, 若是我们赦免别人, Then our soul will be healthy.

我们的魂就是会健康。 And then lead us not into temptation. And deliver us from evil. That is for our spirit.

That we will not enter into temptation. And rather be delivered from the evil one. So this is a prayer that the Lord teaches us to pray.

Now brothers and sisters, Pray in secret. Does not mean that we should not pray in public. You find that corporate prayer is very important.

We need to have our private prayer in secret. But we also need to pray, even in public. And yet, praying in public does not mean that we come out of our closet.

We are tempted to do that. Because when we pray in public, Probably we are very conscious of the people around us. And because we are conscious of their presence, So unconsciously you find we try to pray in such a way that will be more beautiful.

To impress other people. Now if we do that, we are like the scribes and the Pharisees. Our righteousness does not surpass their righteousness.

So even in public prayer, May the Lord deliver us from being conscious of people. In our spirit we are as if in the closet. And there we communion with our Lord.

Pour forth our hearts before Him. Then our Lord Jesus tells us about our relationship to ourselves. And that is fasting.

Now what is fasting? In the scripture we are told fasting is to afflict our soul. In other words, we have such a burden. Or we are facing with such a crisis.

And we deny ourselves to the extent of giving up our legitimate food. So that we may concentrate on praying before the Lord. So it is afflicting our soul.

It is between us and the Lord. It is not for people to see. You know the Pharisees when they fast, they purposely put on a mask a fashion.

Telling people, see, I'm fasting. And people would praise them and say, wow, how pious they are. The Lord said, don't do that.

When you fast, wash your face. Comb your hair. Because you are fasting before the Lord.

And the Lord in secret, He will see it. And He will answer your prayer. So here you find that section is a hidden life.

We need to have a hidden life before the Lord. We live for God. And our motive is pure.

Our heart is in Heaven. Then the Lord began to continue with the second part. The second part on this matter of the life of faith.

Now kingdom life is a life of faith. Often times we think only a very few chosen people, they should live a life of faith. But brothers and sisters, this is a misunderstanding.

According to the word of God, every believer, every disciple of the Lord, every son of the kingdom lives a life of faith. Why? Because God has already called us out of this world. He has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His Lord.

So far as the world is concerned, we who live in this world, we are strangers and sojourners. We are just passing through. So when we are passing through this world, we are aliens so far as the world is concerned.

Like Abraham, his sojourn is the land of promise. And he lived in tents. In other words, you find he realized that he does not belong to this world.

He lived in tent. It is only temporarily. He is just passing through.

He is looking for that city with foundation. Whose architect and constructor is God. Now this is a life of faith.

So every believer lives a life of faith. We are not earth dwellers. We are heavenly people passing through this world.

Now for such people, the only way to live is to live a life of faith. So dear brothers and sisters, let us correct our concept. It is not that only a chosen few they live a life of faith.

They have no other business. No other occupation. And they just look to God to supply all their needs.

They live a life of faith. But we, we have our own occupation. We supply our own needs.

We do not need to live a life of faith. Brothers and sisters, this is wrong. Every believer, every one of us here live a life of faith.

Why? Because we are a heavenly people. Our heart is in heaven. So to live a life of faith, you begin with do not lay your treasures upon the earth.

Now, what is the treasure? In the original, the treasure is treasures, plural number. Lots of treasures. Sometimes we think that treasure is money.

So sometimes we interpret this verse and say now, lay not your money on this earth. Because there is the mouth, there is the rust and there are thieves. But actually, what is it here? It is more than money.

But actually, treasure includes everything that you love. Everything that you depend on. Everything that you trust in.

Everything that means life to you. Now, it can be money. It can be fame.

It can be position. Or it can be people. Maybe your grandson is your treasure.

He is your life. Brothers and sisters, if we lay our treasures to ourselves upon this earth. You know what will happen? You find your heart is where your treasure is.

You are being bound by your treasure. And because of this, you find your heart, instead of being in heaven, your heart is on earth. So the emphasis is not the treasure.

The emphasis is on the heart. Dear brothers and sisters, God wants our heart. In Proverbs, you find it says, my son, give me your heart.

And then, you will delight in my ways. Why is it that we do not take delight in God's ways? It is because our heart is somewhere else. If our heart is given to the Lord, then our eyes will delight His ways.

So what the Lord really wants is our heart. Where your heart is, is where your treasure is. So, it is for this reason that God commands us to lay our treasures in heaven.

That is to say, we offer what we consider as treasures to God. Just like Abraham. He offers only son Isaac to God.

Because that is his treasure. And he is willing to offer it to God. And because he did that, you find he looked for the cities with foundation.

He was not being tied down by anything on this earth. Brothers and sisters, when we hear this word, do you find it very difficult? Ah, the Lord wants all my money. If I give up all my money, how can I live? Don't worry about that.

This is not what the Lord is after. The Lord is trying to deliver you from anything that ties you down. The Lord wants you to give yourself totally to him.

Your heart is in heaven. Your heart is with God. And that is what God is really after.

Now, how God will do with your treasures? It's up to him. You remember that rich young man? He came to the Lord with such sincerity. Good master.

What can I do to inherit eternal life? The Lord look at him. The Lord love him. The Lord said, keep the commandments.

What commandments? Honor your parents. And so and so forth. And the young man said, I keep them from my youth.

He keep the letter of the word. And yet he violate the spirit of it. Because he is very rich.

His riches has captured his heart. The Lord want to deliver him. So the Lord said, sell all you have.

Give to the poor. Then come and follow me. He couldn't do that.

By himself he cannot do it. But then immediately follow him. There is another rich man.

He is an older man. He is probably more richer than this young man. That cares.

The tax collector. And yet you find, when the grace of God comes upon him, without being asked, he said, I will give half to the poor. Whatever I have done wrong, I will pay for it.

That's grace. So brothers and sisters, do not be afraid. Just give your all to the Lord.

Lay it up in heaven. And then, you are a steward. Do whatever the Lord wants you to do.

For instance, you remember the story of C.T. Studd. He is one of the seven missionaries from Cambridge that come to China. He was a millionaire.

But he was led by the Lord to give up everything he had. And he came to China. Later on to India.

And finally to Africa. God greatly used him. Another person that I know of, Lady Ogle.

When I met her, she was a millionaire. But she lived for God. She said, all mine is the Lord's.

I'm only a steward. Dear brothers and sisters, that's what we are. Whatever the Lord has given to us, is His.

It's up to Him to decide. But thank God. His grace is always sufficient.

So do not try to lay a treasure for yourself upon this earth. Now, by the way, I may put in a few more practical words. Do you mean to say that I have to give everything to the Lord and not provide for my family? Certainly not.

Because the Bible tells us very clearly that we should provide for our family. Does it mean to say that you cannot put aside something for your retirement? Certainly not. The Lord does not want you to depend upon people's charity.

Because that does not glorify God. And does it mean to say because of that so I don't need to work anymore? Certainly not. If you do not work, you do not eat.

That is the Scripture teaching. But dear brothers and sisters, remember it is the heart that we may be single-eyed and not double-minded. You know, our problem is we are double-minded.

We love God and we love mammon. Mammon is wealth. It may be represented by money.

Or it may be represented by other things. And we try to serve two masters. It is impossible.

A man cannot serve two masters. You either love the one or hate the other. You either hold on to the one or let go of the other.

The Lord makes it very clear to us. A man cannot serve two masters. Dear brothers and sisters, what are we going to do with mammon? Mammon should not be our master.

Mammon should be our servant. We should use the unrighteous mammon to prepare our eternal life. That is the way it should be.

And that will release us so that our heart may be in heaven. And of course, it will follow for this cause. For this cause, I say unto you, do not be careful about your life.

What you should eat and what you should drink and nor for your body, what you should put on. It is not a life more than food and a body than raiment. Now, why do we worry about eat and drink and raiment? Because our heart, our treasures, are not in heaven.

The more you hold on to your treasures, the more you will worry about what you eat, what you drink and what you will be close with. There is no end to your anxiety. The more treasure you have laid up for yourself, the more the worrier you become.

But if you lay your treasures up in heaven and your heart is with God, then you do not need to worry what you eat, what you drink and what you will be close with. Why? The Lord said, Look at the birds. This look is not just catch a glance.

It is intense looking. You look at the birds. How our Heavenly Father takes care of them.

How much more precious you are than the birds. Consider carefully the lilies of the valley. How beautiful, how glorious the Lord has clothed.

More than the glory of Solomon. He is here today, tomorrow he is thrown into the fire. And God gave them such clothing.

How much more you are than the lilies. Do not be anxious about these things. Your Heavenly Father knows it.

Brothers and sisters, when your heart is in heaven, then you know your Heavenly Father knows everything. You can trust him. You can trust him.

So the Lord said, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Brothers and sisters, this is the way we shall live.

We shall seek the Kingdom of God. We shall seek His righteousness. Now if we do seek, all these things shall be added unto you.

If we do not seek the Kingdom of the Heavens and His righteousness, well, we have to seek all these things ourselves. And we will be anxious about them. So, dear brothers and sisters, what is living in the Kingdom of the Heavens? What is the Kingdom life like? The Kingdom life within us is a life that lives in Heaven.

Even though our body is on earth. So may the Lord help us. Let us pray.

Dear Lord, we want to thank Thee. Because Thy words are not law. Thy words are grace.

We praise and thank Thee Thou has already given us that life. And that life is in us. And Thou are going to draw out that life.

That it may glorify Thy name. Lord, we want to ask Thee that Thou will continue to teach us. That we may really live out that life for Thy glory.

We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.